Fluorescent lamp locking device



Nov. 30, 1948. MA. HARRIS FLUORESCENT LAMP LOCKING DEVICE Filed Sept.22, 1943 INVENTOR. NILT ON 1 7. HR

R/PIS aw, TTORNEY Patented Nov. 30, 1948 PATEN FLUORESCENT LAME LOCKINGDEVICE Application September 22, 1943, Serial No. 503,590

1 Claim. 3

This invention relates to fluorescent lighting fixtures and has for anobject the provision of improved protective means for maintaining a lampand lamp socket in assembly.

Another object is to provide a one-piece protective member whichsecurely maintains a lamp and socket in assembly, and yet is readilydemountable.

Another object is to provide a protective member as described with meansin locking relation with the base pins of the lamp and difierent meansin holding relation with the lamp socket.

Other and further objects will be apparent from the followingdescription and claim, taken in conjunction with the accompanyindrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective showing an assembled arrangement embodyingthis invention with a lamp socket in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is an assembly perspective taken from the rear of the socketand showing a part of the lamp;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a protective device as ofthis invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective of an assembly of this invention, taken asfrom the front of the lamp socket;

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of an alternate structure of aprotective device; and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the lamp socket.

It should be noted that Figure 2 contains the structure of Figure 3, andFigure 4 contains the structure of Figure 5 Further, the lamps used inthe above figures are of the elongated tubular fluorescent type withbases at both ends. Since both ends are identical as to lamp, socket;and protective device, only one end is shown.

A fluorescent lamp of this type is held in assembly with its sockets bythe holdin engagements of socket spring arms I with lamp base pins 2. Ifthis holding eflect is lost, the lamp starts to fall, and the pins 2start to drop down through socket opening 3.

In this invention a protective device 4 is provided and so assembledwith the socket 5 and pins 2 that the pins 2 may not so drop.

The socket 5 is provided with a lamp assembly recess 6 to which theopening 3 leads. Centrally of recess 6 is a stud l, hollowed from theback as at B.

Ordinarily, there is room for the lamp-base pins to pass between thestud 'l and the walls 9 of the recess 6, but when the V legs ill of the2 protective device i are extended between the stud I and the pins 2, asin Figure 1, the pins 2 cannot move downward out of the socket 5.

The protective device 6 is formed of fiber material 'which may be heatedand set to shape. When cooled. the material holds its set shape and hasgood resilient characteristics. Such a device may readily. be snappedinto or out of assembly with a lamp and socket arrangement.

As in-Figure 3, the device has V legs ill for extending into recess 6,and a flange II for insertion in the hollow 8 of stud l as a holdingarrangement to firmly maintain the assembly of socket, lamp, andprotective device.

The outer ends of the V legs ID are flared outwardly as at l2 as an aidin holding the pins 2 in place, as in Figure 1. The apex of the V issome what rounded and widened, providing greater resiliency in the Vlegs l0.

The flange II is rounded and formed to substantially aseml-cyllndricalshape to fit in the hollow 8, and is formed slightly larger in diameterthan the hollow so that it must be constricted to be assembled, andthereby provides a resilient binding action against the walls of thehollow 8. The protective device is provided with a looped spring corneras at l3. This adds to the resilient holding action ofthe V legs l0, andalso provides a hand or finger hold by means of which the device mayreadily be assembled or disassembled; Gonstriction of the loop l3 may bemade to remove the flange I I from the hollow 8 so that the V legs l0may be removed, or'vice versa.

The structure of Figure 5 is like that of Figure 3 in that the materialis the same, the flange H and loop are the same, but a covering surfaceI4 is substituted for the V legs ID. This surface blocks the opening 3,and has a recess l5 therein to receive and retain a lamp base pin 2.

What I claim is:

The combination of a holder for fluorescent lamps having pins extendingfrom the ends thereof and comprising a. body membe'rhaving a front faceand a rear face, said front face being provided with a centrallydisposed lamp-pin receiving recess and a slot extending from theperiphery of said front face to said recess, a stud extending from therear of said body member into the lamppin receiving recess, said studbeing hollowed from the rear end thereof and along its lonigtudinalaxis, and a safety device comprising an arm, a flange disposed at oneend of said arm and substantially perpendicular thereto and adapted toflt into the hollowed portion of said stud, and a second arm connectedat one end thereof to the other end of Bald first-mentioned arm andextendingsubstantially perpendicular thereto and UNITED STATES W acrossthe slot 1n the front face of the lamp holder Number Name Date bodymember. I 1 Wheat Jan. 5, 19s! MILTON A. HARRIS. .3 4. 88 Deeps-rd July20, 1943 v 2,336,587 Blxby Dec. 14, 1943 REFERENCES CITED 2,336,588Blxby Dec. 14, 1943 The following references are of record in the330L610 June 1946 the of this patent:

